Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI senior journalist at Affidea Stadium

It's stopped snowing at Ravenhill...so that's something.

Ulster: J Stockdale; W Kok; J Hume, S McCloskey; Z Ward; J Murphy, N Doak; A Bell, T Stewart, T O'Toole; I Henderson (capt), J Hopes; C Izuchukwu, N Timoney, B Ward.

Replacements: R Herring, E O'Sullivan, S Wilson, H Sheridan, D McCann, C McKee, J Flannery, J Postlethwaite.

Munster: M Haley; C Nash, D Kelly, A Nankivell, T Abrahams; JJ Hanrahan, P Patterson; J Wycherley, D Barron (capt), M Ala'alatoa; J Kleyn, F Wycherley; T Ahern, J Hodnett, A Kendellen.

Replacements: L Barron, J Loughman, C Bartley, J O'Donoghue, B Gleeson, E Coughlan, T Butler, S O'Brien.

Ulster captain Iain Henderson will return from a back injury against inter-provincial rivals Munster in Belfast on Friday.

Henderson's return is one of six changes for Richie Murphy's side from the United Rugby Championship win over Connacht on Saturday.

Angus Bell, Tom O'Toole, Joe Hopes, Bryn Ward and Nathan Doak also come into the side as Jaurno Augustus is sidelined with an ankle injury.

Munster have made 10 changes from the defeat by Leinster as a number of Ireland internationals sit out the trip to Belfast.

Read more here

Image source, Inpho

Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak has signed a new contract that runs until the summer of 2028.

Doak, 24, has established himself as a key player for Ulster after making his debut as a teenager in 2021.

He has played a key role in Ulster's impressive season under head coach Richie Murphy, and he has the most successful conversions in the United Rugby Championship, with 19, and is second for most kicking metres made.

Read more here

Image source, Inpho

Wing Werner Kok says Ulster are preparing to face a "tough" Munster team in Friday's United Rugby Championship match at the Affidea Stadium (19:45 GMT).

Richie Murphy's outfit come into the game off the back of an away victory against Irish rivals Connacht in Galway.

After an impressive start to the season, Munster have now lost three of their past five games but still remain second in the URC table, three points ahead of Ulster.

"Munster is always a tough one to play, but we are focusing on ourselves," Kok told BBC Sport NI.

Image source, BBC Sport

Good evening and a very warm welcome to our coverage of this evening's URC clash at the Affidea Stadium where Ulster take on Munster.

These inter-pro rivals come into the fixture off the back of contrasting fortunes last week.

Richie Murphy's Ulster enjoyed a bonus point win on the road to Connacht, while Munster were edged out on their home turf by Leinster.

Still, Clayton McMillan's side travel north knowing they can move the the top of the standings with a victory, while Ulster have the opportunity to join the Stormers at the top should they collect maximum points.

The temperature in Belfast may be low, but we expect both sides to turn up the heat, so settle in and enjoy.

Image source, Getty Images